Optical signal regenerator and optical communications system incorporating same
US5353146A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 23, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 4, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 23, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L7/0075
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical signal regenerator has a semiconductor laser in a resonant cavity defined by a mirror and a semireflective facet of the laser to form a resonant, non-linear, optical amplifier. A polarization beam splitter allows resonance in one polarization mode only. A clock signal generator provides clock signals in the resonant polarization mode of a power just below the optical power bistable threshold of the amplifier. An information signal coupled to the laser by a lens and the beam splitter is in a non-resonant mode of the amplifier and will give rise to a regenerator output by triggering the bistability. Because the information signal is in a non-resonant mode its wavelength need not be controlled to lie near a resonance peak of the amplifier so reducing control requirements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.